Eye protection means



Oct. D. P. BERNHEIM ETAL I ,3

EYE PROTECTION MEANS Filed Dec. 14, 1942 2 She ets-Sheet 1 --5 fie INVENTORS- DH/Y/EL 1-? BEENHE/M ,1 D: P. BERNHEIMI EI'AL 2,388,205

EYE PROTECTION MEANS Filed Dec. 14, 942 2 Sheets-Shget 2 WIL L mm w 1.514%48526 W171. TEE OlfJ/V 09,924 as 9- amep TELL! A TTORNE Y Patented Oct. 30, 1945 *EYE PROTECTION MEANS Daniel 1?. Bernheim. land Edward M. Splainc,

Southbridge, William H. Lehmbcrg, Newton, Walter Lown, Boston, and Charles A. Baratelli,

U assignors to American Optical Company, Southbridge, Mass, a voluntary-association of Massachusetts Application December ,14, i942, Serial No.469,020

Cambridge, Mass;

"4 Claims.

Thisinvention relates to improvements nimeye protection means and @has' :particular ::reference to novel means i of :forming such means.

One .of the principal-.objectsbf therinvention is to provide ,novel means of forming a protection goggle of the type adapted zfortgeneral .utilityvand being so fabricated as tohave :an inherent com-- fortable fit withtherfacial characteristicsmf most individuals and: which will .afford *easeof; interchanging of lenses "and rembody a minimum =of parts. i

Another -.object is to provide an eye protection device having a facepiece formed substantially entirely of :resilient material witl'i1a =pai't of said material having, *more t-yielding characteristics and having a face rformed. =portion :shaped "to the major facial requirements-"of the average run of individuals and being; readily "compressible and self-shaping" to obtain an intimate fit with -ir-'- regularities of facial v-contour.

Another .objectis to provide a facepiece for an eye protection device'zof :the above character formed essentially-of resilient material iwithzthe part of said facepiece opposed to the face engag ing portion being ."formed more rigid to form a framing fori the lens which;through its more rigid characteristics, will tendto syi'eldingly, retain the eye protection device in the initial shape :to which it is formed. i

Another object is 'toprovid'e an :eye protection device of .the :aboVe character with. novel' ventilating means. i

Another object is to provide an eye protection device with novel .headband zattaching means.

Another object is to'aprovide. anxeyeprotection device of the above character withnovel-means of retaining the lensv in the lens receiving groove of the said device.

Another obiectzis toprovide anzeyenprotection device of the above. character'with "a'irelatively shallow lens supporting: frame :of' resilient "mate rial shaped to inherently have a relatively intimate-.-fit with the face; and tozposition :thetlens of the device relativelyzcloseito the eyes so as :to afiord an extremely wide field. of vision when in position of useon the face;

Another object is toprovide an eye protection device and novel .means of forming the same whereby the saididevice-tmay be simply-and economically manufactured and will be composed of a minimum :of. parts which" may be "quickly'and easily assembled to. complete the device.

other objects and advantages .of the :invention wil1..become.,apparent from theiollowing descrip-- tion taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and it will 'be apparent that :many

changes may be made in thedetails ofconstruc tion and arrangementrofrparts showniand described without departing from the spirit of the.

invention as expressed ,in the accompanying claims. We, therefore, do not wish 'to be limited to theexact'details of construction and arrangement of'parts shownand'described as the pre'- ferred forms only have been given by way 'of illustration. I

Referringto the drawings: Fig. l'is a front view Tof the eyeprotectiondevice embodying qthe invention; Fig. 2 is aplanaviewapartially in section of'th device :illustratedin Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is asiderelevational-view of said device} Fig. 41isa front view ofitheslens; i

"Fig. 5. is an enlarged sectional 'view taken as on line.5-5; g g a 1 Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentarysecti'onal view taken-as:on1inei66 of-Fi'g. 1; f

Fig. '7 is -an-enlarged fragmentary "sectional view taken as on line 1-1 of Fig; landina idirectionsubstantially-normalto section'r6- 6;

Fig. 8-is an" enlarged fragmentarysectionai view taken as on line8-8?of-Fig.' '12 v i Fig. 91s a-fragmentary front view showntliar tially in section of a modified form of theinvenf tion;

'FigxlO is aufragmenta'ry enlarged sectional view d-taken as on line "lll D ofFignQ. i

It hasrbeen'usual; in the past, to provide eye protection goggles forspecific and restricted uses I depending upon the particular hazards encountered. I

Such practice, ttherefore, resulted in a number of diiferent eye 'protection devices which were only suitable for said specific uses. This was due primarily 'tothe' fact that while a particular eye protection :device or-gogg1emet the requirements of some uses they'were" entirely impractical or inadequate for otherspeci'fic uses; It, therefore, is "one ofthe primary'object'snf. this'inventionto provide a goggle or 'eye protection device having features embodied therein forrendering said protectiondevice adaptable'for general utility thereby obviating the necessity of having a plurality of'difierent'type goggles. i

It is -also another" primary objectof the in vention toprovide a goggle of the above character 'whichis simplein construction, "inexpensive to-"manufacture, which will require a minimum vulcanizing or other suitable means, aface engaging portion l8 formed of anyone or more of the various materials set forth above but which. has

the characteristics of sponge rubber thereby be 7 ing more resilient than the frame-like portion IT. The portion 8 is secured to the frame-like portion H, as illustrated at l9, by vulcanizing or by the use of suitable cements, such as latex ce ment or cements having similar characteristics. The portion l! is formed with an internal shouldered edge which, when said portion' I"! is secured to the portion 8, provides a continuous slot or groove throughout the frame-like portion I! for. receiving the edge of the lens 2|. The lens 2| may be formed of any suitable transparent material and is preferably formed of any one of several known a transparent artificial resins.

- such as methyl methacrylate or may be formed of glass, Celluloid or the like. The lens 2! is the lens. To insure more positive ventilation the lens 2| is provided with openings 33 spaced a distance apart substantially equal to the distance between the corresponding recesses. Air entering the recesses 3|, as indicated by the plurality of alf f y fi 3.4 inFig. 6, will pass aboutthe edge of the len's. through the space; 32 and will also pass through the openings 33in the lens. There are additional openings in the lens simulating the openings 33 which are adapted to fit over the male portions 35 of suitable snap fasteners or the like 36, see Figs. 1 and 5. The male portions 35 are securedto and carried by the facepiece l8.

Each snap fastener also has a female portion 31 carried by the frame-like member Each of said male and female portions are carried by a web 38 which assists in retaining the said male placed within the lens retaining groove or slot by distorting the material of the frame-like portion l1 and face engaging portion l8 and by allowing the said material to return to its initial set after the lens has been placed within the slot or groove. The face engaging portion l8 has an upper contour edge 22 shaped to the general contour characteristics of the forehead adjacent the brow. The edge 22 curves outwardly and rearwardly and blends with the contour edge 23 of the side portions 24 of the facepiece. The edge 23 is shaped to fit the general contour of the temporal sides of the face adjacent the outer orbital brims of the eyes. The face engaging edge continues downwardly and inwardly, as illustrated at 25 in Fig. 3, and at 25 in Fig. 2, and blends with the lower contour edges 26 of the facepiece which are shaped to fit the general contour shape of the cheekbones below the eyes.

The faoepiece l8, as illustrated at 21 in Fig. l,

is shaped to provide a nasal recess 28, shaped to fit the general contour characteristics of the bridge of the nose.

provided with a relatively thin integral web ll of relatively soft resilient material simulating the material of the portion l8. The complete face engaging portion of the member l8, therefore, is initially shaped to fit the general facial characteristics of most individuals throughout the contour of the eyes. The lens receiving'slot' or groove resulting from the shouldered portion 20,

is provided, at spaced intervals, with a plurality of recesses 3|,i11ustrated by the dash lines in Fig. 1, and in cross-section in Figs. 6 and 7. As

shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the recesses 3| are considerably wider than the width of the slot for receiving the lens and extend below or above the base of the lens receiving slot as illustrated at 32. This provides a clearance between the base of each recess 3| and the adjacent edge of the .lens whereby air entering the recess 3|from' the front of the lens may pass through the space 32 inwardly of the facepiece l8 to the rear ide O In order to insure a more intimate seal adJacent the nose the facepiece 'is' along with said female portion to be twisted' in an outward direction to permit the portion of the lens 2| havin'gjthe connection opening therein'to be fitted over the malamember and the lens tobe secured inwardly of the lens reretaining slot or groove at the location of each of the respective snap fasteners 36. The openings which are preferably used as attachment openings are illustrated-at 4D respectively'in Fig. 4.

a The lens 2|, in order to provide headband attachment means, is provided with T-shaped slots 4| on the opposed sides thereof. The slots are preferably formed T-shaped in order to afford ease in attaching the headband 42 thereto. The headband 42 has enlarged portions 43 adjacent the ends thereof attached to the T slots and are located in the T slot by threadingthe same inwardly of the T-shaped slot from the open side thereof.

In order to reinforce the T-shaped slotted portions the edges of said slotted portions are provided with a metal binding or an integral bead or the like 44.

In order to retain the ends 43 in proper fitted relation in the T-shaped slots 4| and to aid in preventing the facepiece l6 of the goggle from rotating or tilting forwardly or rearwardly whensuspended by the headband the facepiece is provided, on the temporal sides thereof, with. slotted integral portions 46 through which the headband 42 is threaded.

This causes-the facepiece to be ofgreater gravital weight below a horizontal suspension line extending through the integral slotted portions 46 1 thereby preventing the saidfacepiece from tilting forwardly and rearwardly relative to the headband when suspended by said headband. The slotted portions 46, as shown in Fig. 2, also aid in retaining a cover glass orthe like 45, as illustrated by the dot and dash lines, in relatively-intimate relation with the front of the facepiece. This is because of the fact that the slotted ends of the cover glass are retained between the anchored ends 43 and the portions threaded through the slots 46. v

3 The member 45, although termed a. cover glass, is preferably formed essentially of the same material as the main lens portion 2| and is provided with slots adjacent the opposed sides thereof agsseg'ano through zwhichrtheihead'band 42 .iszthreadedaiin-ra manner simulating :the.connectionrofssaid'headband with-thefmaindens fl l v1.llhenoverzglassimay be anauxiliarWsprotectionzlenszusedvjointly with the lens 21, which may be of a diiferentxcolorcor of different light absorptive characteristics than the main llens. portion :=as totinfra-red or ultravioletiraysor may bewfo-rrnedxo'f material possessing light-polarizingcharacteristics. Such polarizin giimaterialmay be'sanyso'f the light-polarizing materials sold under the trade-name Polaroid.

The framing I1 is provided with a plurality of integral lugs or spacer members 41 and 48 on the face thereof to provide ventilation between the cover glass and said framing.

The facepiece IS, in its function of compensating for slight irregularities in the facial: contours of different individuals, has a tendency to compress in the direction of the thickness of the material as distinguished from most prior art facepieces which have a tendency to roll or bend under pressure introduced by the pull of the headband. The sponge rubber face engaging portion I8, when the face engaging edge engages the face, is initially fitted to the general facial contours and compresses to compensate for slight irregularities in the face. This altering changes the distance between said face engaging edgeand the line of the plane of the lens when compensating for said irregularities.

It is to be noted, however, that the facepiece I8 in its entirety is such that it has edge contact with the face throughout the lower and upper contour edges 22 and 26 respectively thereof, which edges are at a relatively short distance from the plane of the lens as compared with the side portions 24. The side portions 24 have substantially side surface contact with the sides of the face which is indicated by the reference numeral in Fig. 2. The side portions 24 extend rearwardly of the lenses a distance considerably greater than the distance between the edge 22 and the plane of the lens. The edge 22, however, is at a greater distance from the plane of the lens than the lower edge 26. This causes the lens to tilt forwardly on the nose with the lower edge of the lens being closer to the eyes than said upper v edge when the device is in position of use on the face. This is best shown in Figs. 2 and 5.

The facepiece is in the form of continuous eyecup members shaped to fit intimately with the face throughout the entire contour edge of the lens with the lens being formed of continuous sheet material. In order to insure a wide field of vision throughout said facepiece the inner walls 52 are angled outwardly with respect to the inner wall 53 thereof throughout the upper portion and sides of the facepiece. The angle of the inner surface 52, throughout the upper portion of the facepiece, is best illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. In view of the fact that the lower contour portions of the facepiece are relatively narrow, such angling of the wall is not necessary.

In Fig. 9 there is illustrated a modification of the invention in which the lens 54, which simulates the lens 2|, is provided with vertically disposed notches 55 with the forward ends 56 of said notches being contracted to provide ears for engagement with the integral webs 51 which span the lens groove 58 and are integrally joined with the opposed portions of the facepiece which overlie the opposite sides of the lens. This forms a dove-tail like connection between the facepiece and the lens along the vertical center line of the eye protection device.

WhenE assembling ithe' len's withnlthe'facepiece the notches 55:r-ar'e interlocked iwith ithe :webs: :51 throughithearesiliency sof said webs; The webs filsarea'formd ofresilient:materialwsimilar to that of 2 the ifacepiece and areizformed ito such 1 initial dimension; as: to :require compression .of the material of athe web during ithe iinsertion :thereof ofithe notches1 55r This interlocks.*thetifacepiece with ithelens -at the eenter of theprotection device). w r 11:,

Although itsis preferablezthatrthe 'facepiecerbe formed with a front frame-like portion of resilient material inherently harder than the rear face engaging portion thereof, as shown throughout the various views, the front frame portion may be formed of material other than rubber and may be formed relatively rigid and yet accomplish the results desired. In this particular instance, the lens would be inserted in the lens receiving groove by distorting the inner portion of the facepiece. It is preferable, however, that the front frame-like portion 11 be formed of material having distortable characteristics.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that simple, eflicient and economical means have been provided for accomplishing all of the objects and advantages of the invention.

Having described our invention, we claim:

1. A device of the character'described comprising a single aperture facepiece of flexible and resilient material adapted to fit about the eyes of the wearer, a single lens for said aperture, a groove in said facepiece to receive the peripheral edge of the lens, releasable fastener elementscarried by the facepiece and extending into said groove to engage the lens, and a plurality of spaced recesses in the walls of said groove open to the interior of the facepiece, with the walls of said recesses spaced away from the sides of the 40 lens and also from the edge thereof, whereby air 2. A device of the character described comprising a single aperture facepiece of flexible and resilient material adapted to fit about the eyes of the wearer, a single lens for said aperture, a groove in said facepiece to receive the peripheral edge of the lens, releasable fastener elements carried by the facepiece and extending into said groove to engage the lens, a plurality of spaced recesses in the walls of said groove open to the interior of the facepiece, with the walls of said recesses spaced away from the sides of the lens, and openings in the lens located Within said recesses, whereby air may enter said recesses at one side of the lens and pass through said openings in the lens and into the facepiece when in position of use on the face.

3. A device of the character 'describedcomprising a single aperture facepiece of fiexibleand resilient material adapted to fit about the eyes of the wearer, a single lens for said aperture, a groove in said facepiece to receive the peripheral edge of the lens, releasable fastener elements carried by the facepiece and extending into said groove to engage the lens, a plurality of spaced recesses in the walls of said groove open to the interior of the facepiece, with the walls of said recesses spaced away from the sides of the lens and also from the edge thereof, and openings in the lens located within said recesses, whereby air may enter said recesses at one side of the lens and pass about the edge of the lens and through sides'of the lens and also from the edge thereof, whereby air may enter said recesses atone side of the lens and pass about the edge of the lens into the face piece when in position of use on the face.

DANIEL P. BERNHEIM. EDWARD M. SPLAINE. WILLIAM H. LEHMBERG. WALTER LOWN. CHARLES A. BARATELLI. 

